In less than a year, Kelsea Glynn has grown from an awkward teenager into a powerful monarch and a visionary leader.

And as she has come into her own as the Queen of the Tearling, she has transformed her realm. But in her quest to end corruption and restore justice, she has made many enemies - chief among them the evil and feared Red Queen, who ordered the armies of Mortmesne to march against the Tear and crush them.

To protect her people from such a devastating invasion, Kelsea did the unthinkable - naming the Mace, the trusted head of her personal guards, Regent in her place, she surrendered herself and her magical sapphires to her enemy. But the Mace will not rest until he and his men rescue their sovereign from her prison in Mortmesne.

So, the endgame has begun and the fate of Queen Kelsea - and the Tearling itself - will be revealed... (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)

Review:

This is going to be a difficult review to write without revealing any plot holes so I’m going to do my best by describing my general feelings about the series at the end. I really liked that Kelsea is a strong, but not infallible leader and that she is mature enough to identify which choices are being made for herself and which for her kingdom. My biggest frustration at the end is what I perceive to be some solid plot holes that leave me with a lot of questions unresolved.

I initially really didn’t like the ending feeling like it was too convenient, but have warmed up to it slightly. I just wish that some of my questions were answered. The main let down is that I thought the series was building up to something a little more intense and it didn’t quite deliver for me.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the series, but I believe it’s unlikely that I’ll reread it. Much of the “big reveal” drove my motivation to finish the series and without that mystery I think the book may have dragged on a bit more.

Warning: Contains repeated violence.

Rating: 4 stars!

Who should read it? Only folks who have read the first two in the series, otherwise there is going to be a lot of complexity lost.